Ottawa

noun

Ot·​ta·​wa ˈä-tə-wə How to pronounce Ottawa (audio)
-ˌwä, 
-ˌwȯ
variants or Odawa
ō-ˈdä-wə How to pronounce Ottawa (audio)
plural Ottawas or Ottawa or Odawas or Odawa
: a member of an Indigenous people of Michigan and southern Ontario

Word History

Etymology

French Outaoua, from Ojibwa (eastern dialect) ota·wa·

First Known Use

circa 1665, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Ottawa was circa 1665

Rhymes for Ottawa

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Browse Nearby Words

ottavino
Ottawa
Ottawan
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Cite this Entry

“Ottawa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ottawa. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on Ottawa

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Ottawa

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